Control of the breech-actuating mechanism and loading apparatus of heavy guns.



I A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE.

CONTROL OF THE BREEGH AOTUATIN G MBGHANISM AND LOADING APPARATUS OF HEAVY GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, I911.

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A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE.

CONTROL OF THE BREEGH AGTUATING MECHANISM AND LOADING APPARATUS 0F HEAVY GUNS.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 30, 1911.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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fnN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, AND JAMES HORNE, OF

BARROW-IN-IURNESS, ENGLAND, AssIGNoRs T MINSTERfENG-LAND.

. coN'rraon on THE BREEOH-ACTUATING MEcHANIsM AND LOADING APPARATUS or 1 HEAVY GUNS. V

To all whom it may concern .Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREVOR DAwsoN, knight, and JAMns HORNE, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, re-

..siding, respectively, at Vickers House,

orks, Bar'row-in-Furness, in the county of London, England, and Naval Construction Vorks, Barrow-in-Furness, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or R.elating to the Control of the Breech-Actuating Mechanism and Loading Apparatus of Heavy Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the control of the breech actuating mechanism and loading apparatus of heavy guns of the kind in which the operating motors are controlled by valves carried by a part of the mounting that does not move with the gun in elevation.

According to the present invention one or more ofthe motors on the slide frame or loading arm arecontrolled by a valve or valves, also carried by the slide frame or loading arm, the movements of the said valves being under the influence of hand actuated valves on the gun platform. By these means the motor or motors on the slide frame or loading arm can be cont-rolled independent-1y of the hand actuated valve or valves by the automatic means hereinafter described.

In orderthat thesaid invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which I Figures 1 and l together represent a dia grammatic side elevation showing our. improvements. Fig.2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the breech actuating motor and its control valve, and Figs. 3 and 4: are enlarged' sectional elevations of the control hand levers and valves for the breech mechanism and for the powder doorsrespectively.

A is the gun, A the slide frame, A -the loading arm, A the rammer carried thereby, A the rammer control hand lever and a? the valve connected thereto.

B is the breech actuating motor, B the Specification of Letters Patent.

control valve for the same, B the control hand lever, and b the valve connected thereto.

C is the loading cage, C the press for the same, C? the control valve, C the control handlever for the said press, c the control hand lever for the powder doors of the said cage and c the valve connected to the said lever 0 i D is the hand wheel by'which thebreech can be manually opened and closed when desired.

E is the hand lever and E the valve for controlling the running out of the gun. V

F is the pressure fluid main and G the exhaust main.

The control valve B is in the form of a differential ram, and the port 6* is connected by means of a pipe 6 with the valve 6' of the lever B mounted on the gun platform. The movements of the said hand lever displacethe valve 6 to admit pressure fluid through the pipe '5 to the main control valve B of the breech actuating motor or to place the same to exhaust, the direction in which the said hand lever is shifted, determining the direction in which the valve B will move (owing to the fact that it is in the form of a diflerential rain as aforesaid and is Lmder constant pressure fluid from the pipe 6) and consequently the direction in which. the motor B will work. The motor is connected to a screwed shaft B provided with a nut b which is adaptedto cooperate with stops b 6 on the stem of the valve B to automatically move the said valve and cause the motor B to stop at the completion of the opening and closing of the breech.

The rammer A which'is shown by way of example as of the flexible or chain type, is under the influence of an hydraulic motor (not shown) ried by the loading arm. The casing of the said valve is connected b a pipe 0 with the hand control valve a of the hand lever A of the ramlner controlling mechanism, the out off valve a carried by the gun slide being adapted to cooperate with the rammer A and being connected with the reversing cylinder at on the gun platform by'a pipe a In order to prevent the rammer from leav- VICKERS LIMITED, OF WEST- I Patented Apr. 21, 1914. Application filed September 30, 1911. Serial No. 652,192. 7

ing the withdrawn position until the gun loading cage C is in alinement with the bore of the gun, and for causing the rammer to automatically perform its first ramming stroke, a spring bolt a is adapted to cooperate with the stem of the control valve a'to lock it in' the position to retain the rammer in the withdrawn position. A stop 0 on the gun loading cage C cooperates with the said spring bolt 0" and withdraws it from engagement with the stem of the control valve or as the cage reaches its loading position, whereupon, the hand lever A having been previously placed to the ram position, the valve a will move into the position to cause the rammer to ram the projectile into the gun. The usual locking bolt A is provided on the loading arm for retaining the loading cage C in position until the rammer has been fully withdrawn.

The means for operating the powder doors of the gun loading cage comprise an hydraulic press 0 mounted on the loading arm and cooperating with a lever or crank 0 on the powder doors. The said hydraulic press c communicates through a pipe 0 with the control valve 0 the movements of which by the hand lever 0 admits pressure fluid to the press c or places the same to exhaust as required, the constant pressure fluid supplied by the pipe causing the press to move when the pipe 0 is placed to exhaust.

The control valve G of the gun loading cage is operated by the hand lever C on the gun platform in the usual manner. We combine with the valve C an intercepting valve C" connected by a pipe 0 with a valve (not shown) operated by a part of. the breech mechanism, the arrangement being such that the cage G is prevented from ascending until the breech has been completely opened and the gun fully run out.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. In gun breech actuating and loading apparatus, the combination with the slide frame, the breech actuating motor carried thereby, and the motor control hand lever mounted on a part of the mounting that does not move in elevation, of a control valve carried by the slide frame, and pressure fluid means for actuating said valve from the aforesaid hand lever.

2. In gun breech actuating and loading apparatus, the combination with the slide frame, the breech actuating motor carried thereby and the motor control hand lever mounted on a part of the mounting that does not move in elevation, of a control apparatus,

valve carried by the slide frame and hydraulic means for actuating said valve from the aforesaid hand lever.

In gun breech actuating and loading apparatus, the combination with the slide frame, the breech actuating motor carried thereby, mounted on a part of the mounting that does not move in elevation, of a control valve carried by the slide frame, a valve operated by the said hand lever, and means for connecting said valve to the control valve on the slide frame.

4. In gun breech actuating and loading apparatus, the combination with the slide frame, the breech actuating motor carried thereby, and the motor control hand lever mounted on a part of the mounting that does not move in elevation, of a control valve carried by the slide frame, a valve operated by the said hand lever, and hydraulic means for connecting said valve to the control valve on the slide frame.

5. In gun breech actuating and loading the combination with the slide frame, the breech actuating motor carried thereby and the motor control hand lever mounted on a part of the mounting that does not move in elevation, of a differential control valve carried by the slide frame, a pipe supplying constant pressure fluid to said differential valve, a valve operated by said hand lever and a pipe connecting said valve with the differential valve on the slide frame. Y

6. In gun breech actuating and loading apparatus, the combination with the gun platform, the slide frame, the breech actuating motor carried thereby and the motor control hand lever mounted on the gun platform, of a differential control valve carried by the slide frame, a pipe supplying constant pressure fluid to said valve, a valve mounted on the gun platform and operated by the said control hand lever, and a pipe connecting said valve with the differential valve on the slide frame.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. JAMES HORNE.

lVitnesses to signature of Arthur Trevor Dawson:

HENRY KING, JNO. R. CAswnLL. Witnesses to signature of James Horne:

WV. H. ATKINSON, A. D. LLOYD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

and the motor control hand lever 

